Monica Lewinsky, former White House intern and political activist, is urging for important reforms in the political system. In an opinion piece published by Vanity Fair, Lewinsky called for elected officials to be subject to mandatory retirement ages and for presidential self-pardons to be banned. Her inspiration for these measures came from recent discussions on the disqualification of candidates who engage in insurrection, as well as former President Donald Trump’s attempts to appeal a court ruling against him. Lewinsky finds it astonishing that the disqualification of a candidate is only addressed in the 14th amendment of the US constitution.
Lewinsky, a self-proclaimed “constitutional nerd,” delved deep into researching constitutional amendments and discovered that the most recent one was enacted in 1992. Although the 27th amendment merely clarified the rules for congressional raises, it piqued Lewinsky’s interest in the historical frequency of constitutional changes. She noted that amendments were frequently added to the constitution every 10 to 20 years in the past, leading her to believe that it is high time for some constitutional upgrades.
At the top of Lewinsky’s list of proposed amendments is an explicit ban on presidential self-pardons. This comes in the wake of Trump facing multiple criminal charges, including subversion of the 2020 election, retention of government secrets, and hush-money payments. While the idea of a self-pardon is untested in court, it is theoretically possible for a president to pardon themselves if they have already been convicted of a crime and then re-elected. Lewinsky argues that the constitution should not grant the head of the executive branch a “get out of jail free” card.
Another proposal put forward by Lewinsky is the implementation of both term limits and a maximum age of service for elected officials. She believes that while experience is important, there comes a point where age may overshadow qualifications and lead to mental calcification and cultural deafness. Lewinsky refers to the advanced ages of both Trump (77) and President Joe Biden (81) as examples.
In addition to these reforms, Lewinsky suggests abandoning the electoral college system, which currently decides presidential elections instead of a popular vote. She also advocates for an amendment that reasserts women’s reproductive freedoms, following the 2022 overturning of Roe v Wade by the US Supreme Court.
Lewinsky gained public attention due to her affair with then-President Bill Clinton, which ultimately led to his impeachment in 1998. Since then, she has earned a master’s degree and become an advocate in combating cyberbullying. Reflecting on the public demonization and humiliation she experienced during the scandal, Lewinsky emphasizes the need for reform and a system that protects individuals from such treatment.
Monica Lewinsky’s call for reform aims to ensure that the US political system evolves with the times. By implementing mandatory retirement ages, banning self-pardons, and making other amendments, the system can become more accountable, fair, and representative of the people it serves.
